Members
Appointed by the President, the President’s Committee Co-Chairs lead the committee, which includes both public and private members. The public members consist of the heads of twelve federal agencies with cultural programs, including the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the U. S. Departments of Education, Treasury and State, the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, the National Gallery of Art and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The private members are appointed by each administration, and represent some of the country’s most prominent and successful artists, actors, architects, dancers, authors, scholars, philanthropists and businesspeople.
The President’s Committee’s achievements across a variety of arts and humanities fields are made possible by the expertise and leadership of both its private and federal members, who embody and represent the diverse elements of the U.S. interdependent system of support for the arts and humanities.
Government Members who serve ex-officio
Private Members
J Ricky Arriola, Miami, FL
Mr. Arriola is the President and CEO of Inktel Direct and Chairman of the Board of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County.
Madeleine H. Berman, Franklin, MI
In addition to her work with the PCAH, Ms. Berman serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Americans for the Arts.
Chuck Close, New York, NY
Chuck Close is a painter, photographer, and printmaker whose work has been the subject of over 200 solo exhibitions in more than 20 countries.
Richard J. Cohen, St. Paul, MN
Mr. Cohen is a Minnesota State Senator chairing the Finance Committee. In 2009, he received the Public Leadership in the Arts Award from the Americans for the Arts.
Paula Hannaway Crown, Chicago, IL
Ms. Crown is a Principal of Henry Crown and Company, a private investment firm. She is also an artist.
Christine Forester, La Jolla, CA
Ms. Forester, a trained architect, runs her own marketing consulting firm.
Fred Goldring, Pacific Palisades, CA
Fred Goldring is an entrepreneur and the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rock The Vote, and has been the co-recipient of an Emmy Award, a Clio Award, a Global Media Award and an NAACP Image Award.
Howard Gottlieb, Wilmette, Illinois
Howard Gottlieb is the General Partner of Glen Eagle Partners, Ltd., a family private investment firm and an accomplished violinist.
Teresa Heinz, Washington, DC
Ms. Heinz chairs both the Heinz Endowments and the Heinz Family Philanthropies. She founded and serves as chairman of the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and Environment.
Pamela Joyner, San Francisco, CA
Founder of Avid Partners, LLC., Ms. Joyner also serves as a Trustee of the School of American Ballet and Dartmouth College.
Victoria S. Kennedy, Pacific Palisades, CA
Ms. Kennedy is an educational consultant for Loyola Marymount University and co-founder of the Go Campaign.
Jhumpa Lahiri, Brooklyn, NY
Ms. Lahiri?s debut short story collection, Interpreter of Maladies, won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and her first novel, The Namesake, was adapted into the popular film of the same name.
Bryan Lourd, Los Angles, CA
Bryan Lourd is a Partner and Managing Director of Creative Artists Agency, one of the world's leading entertainment sports agencies.
Anne Luzzatto, New York, NY
Formerly the Deputy White House Press Secretary, Ms. Luzzatto served as the Obama-Biden Transition Team review lead for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Yo-Yo Ma, Boston, MA
Mr. Ma is a cellist and 2001 National Medal of Arts recipient. He has recorded over 75 albums and won 16 Grammy Awards.
Liz Manne, New York, NY
Ms. Manne is the Executive Director of FilmAid International , a humanitarian organization. She co-founded Fine Line Features and has worked with the Sundance Channel and HBO Films.
Thom Mayne, Los Angeles, CA
Founder of Morphosis Architects and co-founder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture, Mr. Mayne is a Distinguished Professor at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design.
Olivia Morgan, Washington, DC
Olivia Morgan is the managing editor of the Shriver Report, and the former Executive Director of the Children's Health Forum.
Edward Norton, New York, NY
Edward Norton is a two-time Academy Award-nominated actor, producer and director.
Sarah Jessica Parker, New York, NY
Ms. Parker is an award winning actress and producer. She is the winner of four Golden Globe Awards, two Emmy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Ken Solomon, Santa Monica, CA
Mr. Solomon is chairman of Ovation TV, a national cable and satellite network focused on bringing art, culture, and personal creativity to all Americans.
Andy Spahn, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Spahn is the President of Andy Spahn & Associates, an entertainment industry based consulting firm.
Jill Cooper Udall, Santa Fe, NM
Ms. Udall is a lawyer and former Officer of Cultural Affairs for the State of New Mexico.
Reginald Van Lee, New York, NY
Mr. Van Lee is an Executive Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Kerry Washington, Los Angeles, CA
Ms. Washington is an award winning actress known for her roles in Ray, The Last King of Scotland, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Save the Last Dance.
Alexa Wesner, Austin, TX
Ms. Wesner is the founder of Blue Texas PAC and the co-founder and former President of HireTECH.
Forest Whitaker, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Whitaker is an Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer, and game developer.
Anna Wintour, New York, NY
Ms. Wintour has served as the Editor in Chief of VOGUE since 1998.
Damian Woetzel, Roxbury, CT
For 20 years a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet, Mr. Woetzel is the director of the Aspen Institute Arts Program and the artistic director of the Vail International Dance Festival in addition to other arts leadership roles.
George C. Wolfe, New York, NY
Mr. Wolfe is a Tony Award-winning theater and film director and playwright.
Alfre Woodard, Santa Monica, CA
Ms. Woodard?s work has earned her an Oscar nomination, four Emmy Awards, three SAG Awards, and a Golden Globe.
